The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-04-30

L SWUOLCn 4ttlN
his linen md sr.clothing. Grotius clriea
himself up In the chest win ms ne'.
resting on a large pictured Testameh,
for a pillow. His anxious wife proppe"
his cheek with y bunch OF soil .hrea"'
and padded the curves Of his body with
rolls of linen and paper; then with a
solemn and fearful farewell she c'"sea
and fastened the chest. kissed the iock
with streaming eyes, and gave tn key
TO Elsie. The clothe, Grotius hal tax
On Off were thrown over the back OF u
chair beside the bed, the bed-curta'hs
were carefully drawn, and the soldiers
summoned to carry the chest to the
boat that waited for it.
Heavier than ever grnmblca inc
men MS they numbered after Elsie down
the stair. 1.-THE prisoner himself must
be in it to-day. besides his p%onderous
books" At this Elsie laughed in the
most free-hearted way possible.
The court of the prison was reached
and now came the first great danger.
Should the commandments wifi. who
was now in charge Of the prison. in
spect the books that were leaving the
fortress all would be lost. She might
have done so had the weather been
fair, but at the sight of the wet court
ward where the chest stood in the driv-
ing rain, she had no goodwill to VENT
urc into it, so the box with its precious
load was safely passed through the
gates of Loevcnstein. h.
Two sailors lifted the chest on board
of the ferry-boat, talking as the soldiers
had done. about the heaviness OF the
load, and a second iestingly accusing
Elsie of carrying off the prisoner as
well rs his books. Seated beside the
chest on the wind-swept deck Of the
little boat, Elsie covered her head with
a white handkerchief, the ends OF
which she allowed to tlutter in the
wind.
"Your kerchief will hardly keep your
pretty head dry, MISTRESS said one OF
the sailors.
II wear it as signal to = fellow
servant with wits not so thick as youl
own," said saucy Elsie.
1t was, in truth. Il signal to let Mad.
am De Groot know that all was well,
and Elsie knew that ut that moment
the eyes of her mistress were strainlng
Mt the window to see whether she wore
the white handkerchief or sat with her
face buried in her hands rs Il token OF
failure.
The swollen waters of the WAL were
passed, the town of Gorcum was
reached, and the precious chest wa'
safely carried to the house of Daat-
salaer. The shop of the mercer was
thronged with customers. and Elsie
ordered the men to carry the chest tt
the room beyond, and there deliberate
" paid and dismissed them. The,
reckoning Madam Daatsalaer aside
she said: Madam. l have brought m.
master; he is in the oom within
there"
The suddcnness Of this speech wa'
dangerous, for Madam Daatsalaer ut
tered Il cry which drew the attention
of all in the shop. But recovering her
self. and making the excuse that sht
had caught her hand in the drawer, sh'
wrapped it hastily in her apron. ant
followed Else into the next o
master! master!' cried Elsie, rap
ping on the lid of the chest.
There was no answer.
..Oh. my mastcrl" cried the girl
~wringing her hands. ''He is dead
surely he is dead!'
But at that moment there vas Il RAJ
within the box. The lock was turned
the lid thrown back. and Grotius aros'
in his linen garments, looking, through
exhaustion, almost us white rs they.
.'Why are you so pale. mad amp
said he, looking at good Dame Daatsa
laer, who was white and trembling.
"Alas! lam sorely frightened SAT-
she, breaking into tears. 'SIy Lord
the whole world is talking of you, ant
there will be nc keeping this hid
Madam" said Grotius. with s.ead
fast .entlcness, II am at this momen,
thanking God for the deliverancc H,
has granted me. but sooner than harm
shall befall you l will enter the ches
again and be carried back as l came.
His sincerity and nobleness touches
the good woman's heart. "No! no.
said she; "whatever comes, my hui:
band and l will do all that we can t
aid your escape" And so they did
for Daatsalacr spoke to a friend Of his
n master mason named Petersen, VIII
consented to take Grotius to Antwer
disguised as a journeyman bricklayel
Clad in II coarse doublet and trun
hose, carrying II trowel and u measul
ing-rod, Grotius travelled safely I
Antwerp. in the Spanish Netherland'